First up on the slate of today’s announcements at Apple’s Back to the Mac event: iLife ’11. The suite contains the usual cast of applications, including iMovie, iPhoto, and Garageband.
The new version of iPhoto offers a number of enhancements, including a “live” full screen, enhancements to Facebook integration, and easier photo e-mailing. The software is more dynamic than in previous versions, including upgrades to slideshows and Places. According to Steve Jobs, two million books a year are printed using the existing iPhoto software.
iMovie ’11, meanwhile, features improvements to audio editing, new one-step special effects, and the ability to create movie trailers from within the application. The application promises to make formerly complex editing possible in just a few mouse clicks. It also features built-in facial detection and keyword filters for editing. The application ships with a number of included music scores. Once edited, the application lets users share movies via Facebook and e-mail.
The latest version of Apple’s music creation software GarageBand, which features updates to timing and rhythm (including the new features Groove Matching and FlexTime) and a number of new instrument options and guitar amps.
iLife ’11 will ship free on new Macs and will run $49 for existing users.